


Not-So-Broken

by shortcircuitify



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Pregnancy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-15 19:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8069467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shortcircuitify/pseuds/shortcircuitify
Summary: They fit perfectly together, they just needed to figure it all out. How Hephaestus and Aphrodite figured out how to truly love each other, growing together in snippets. Consists of lots of blushing and a flustered Aphrodite.





	1. Chapter 1

It was common knowledge among the gods that Aphrodite's and Hephaestus's marriage was not one of love - as ironic as that might be for the _goddess_ of love. It was really unfortunate for both of them.

Hephaestus, being the lame and cast-out god that he was, had doubted since his arrival in Olympus that he would ever receive a wife from Zeus in the first place. None of the goddesses had taken a particular fondness to him, despite still being quite handsome and capable with the forge. But he was kind, and the gods such as Apollo had taken to him as if he was born of Hera and _not_ thrown off the side of their home when he was a child.

Really, despite the scarring on his left cheek and chin, which looked like he was severely burned and not healed properly, and his lame leg, his brothers thought he was quite attractive. So all in all, Hephaestus's life was a content one, if a little lonely.

And then one evening, when he was down in his forge, his 'everlasting' fire source happened to die down to an ember that no iron or steel weaponry could be formed on. Mumbling his frustration to himself and ready to head in for an early night, the source of his problem made herself clear.

Hestia revealed herself behind a rack of armor he had prepared for Ares, and was blushing furiously at being caught.

"S-sorry to disturb you, Hephaestus, I think I got too close and the flame reacted to my presence. I – um, I should probably go." Ah, so that's why his flame had died down.

Hephaestus blushed in return and casted his eyes downward. He never thought that Hestia would be down here, watching him work. It was quite a surprise, and a pleasant one at that and he didn't want to scare her off. Hestia was always kind to him, and he had taken a liking to her presence.

"Oh, it's quite all right, Hestia. What are you doing down here?"

"To be truthful, I wanted to watch you work." He looked up at her words, and saw she was quietly fidgeting with her hands. _Was she nervous?_ "It's just, you're always so focused when you work, and it's quite beautiful to watch." It was her turn to look away from his dark gaze.

He gave a nervous laugh, and his blush deepened. _Hestia,_ one of the most gorgeous goddesses, thought he was _beautiful_. "Oh, that is very kind of you, Hestia. If you would like, you can visit more often, I would gladly enjoy the company." When she looked back up at him and smiled, he couldn't help but give her a goofy grin in return.

"Well, what are you working on now?" She sat herself down onto a stump he used to cut wood, and when he looked back to his fire it was the largest and strongest he had ever seen it. He turned to her and started to explain the newest weapon he was working on for Zeus, and she listened intently.

So every night that she was available, Hestia would steal away to Hephaestus's forge and watch him work, where he was not awkward or afraid of the gods' criticisms, but strong and true to his craft. And they would talk, growing closer with each passing day, until Hephaestus _knew_ that he loved her.

And even though Hestia wanted to love him dearly, she could never be his. She was a virgin goddess, after all, and was not to be promised to any god.

She had found love in Hephaestus, and although she did not want him to be so _alone_ again, she could never be the love he was looking for, although she desperately wanted to be. When she visited him that night, it was with a heavy heart, and when Hephaestus saw his fire die to a single ember instead of the large inferno that Hestia usually caused with her presence, he knew something was wrong.

"Is something the matter?" He asked nervously, keeping more distance from the pure goddess than he usually would. He sensed the tension in her stance, and it made him nervous and worried.

"I cannot visit anymore, Hephaestus." She said rather bluntly. Better to cut the tie cleanly, she supposed. She avoided his eyes as much as she could.

He was stunned for a moment, worried this would eventually happen, but responded quickly, afraid she would leave if he hesitated a moment too long. "But, why? Was it something I have done? Please, Hestia, think this through –" he tried begging, but she raised her hands to stop his rambling.

"Please, do not make this harder on me Hephaestus."

"Can I still see you?" He asked, never taking his eyes off of her. She minutely shook her head. "There must be something –"

"Hephaestus!" She lifted her head to look him straight in his eyes. Silent tears were rolling down her face and she was trying to stifle her sobs. "I am meant to be a virgin goddess. I cannot be what you seek of me. I cannot love you, as I wish to Hephaestus. You deserve more." And she was gone, only to be seen during Council meetings and occasionally around Olympus.

He could not be consoled for his loss. He threw himself into his work, rarely leaving his forge and sleeping there when he could. The gods attempted to cheer him up, but it was no use as his heart was broken. Unfortunately for him, Zeus saw his son's distress.

And as only Zeus could, he made the situation worse by attempting to fix his son's loneliness with a chosen bride.

Who so happened to be Aphrodite. Being the goddess of love, after all, would help his son's kind but lonely heart, right?

Aphrodite herself was not faring with this whole situation much better.

Aphrodite was one of the more dramatic goddesses - believe it or not. When she had the opportunity to grab onto a new emotion of love or jealousy or heartbreak, she held onto it for as fleeting of a moment it was and emphasized it until she was seen as a simpleton goddess that found her pleasure in men and drama and attention.

But underneath the dramatic shell was a fragile little heart that was born to _love_ , truly love someone, for all of their flaws and aptitudes. Unfortunately, Aphrodite could never find the god that would be able to cherish her heart in all her years on Olympus, so the title of seductress she took to shield herself from the deceit and pain that was destined to happen if she found herself in love with a god.

When she first met Hephaestus, she knew he was different. He was not arrogant like Ares or aggressive like Poseidon – he was kind and gentle, which was odd for the god of the forge, and she was drawn to his nature. He reflected what she needed, but she had no doubt he simply saw her as flighty and foolish, her ocean eyes shallow to the depth his dark ones held.

And in all honesty she was _scared_ to even _talk_ to him. She was scared that he would see right through her façade and see her tired little heart and try to fix it. She was, really, scared to fall in love with him. She was certain that once she did, there would be no returning if he did happen to break her heart.

So her own fear stopped the goddess of love from trying to love. Instead, she watched him from a distance, longing for his affectionate smiles to turn her way and grace her. But it was not her that he fell for, but it was Hestia.

Of course she knew, _of course,_ she was the goddess of _love_ after all so of course she could sense when two of the gods would be in _love_ and she was so frustrated and mad that she went to her own home in Olympus and cried until she was composed enough to invite Apollo into her bed to forget something she never had in the first place.

And when Hephaestus's heart was broken the last thing she wanted to do was to be _married_ to him.

She could deal with a god infatuated with her beauty, but a god that was still in love with someone else, especially a god that she truly wanted to love? Really, r _eally_ bad for little Aphrodite.

Their wedding was a celebrated affair, with all of the gods on Olympus celebrating the marriage of Hephaestus, the one god who really deserved to find happiness. Dionysus provided the spirits for the occasion, and the party went long into the night. Even Hestia had shown up for a brief moment or two to give the couple her blessing, and Aphrodite saw the sadness that pooled in her husband's eyes.

That night, when they returned to Hephaestus's home, he showed her to their bedroom and welcomed her with somewhat open arms.

To be honest, Hephaestus never thought he would have a chance with the goddess of love, since she always seemed so perfect and _alive_ , when he was much too somber for his own good. Now that she was forced to be his wife? He was sure she would hate him, and his heart longed for the warmth Hestia showed him.

"I'm sorry about this whole affair, Aphrodite, I did not mean to drag you into the middle of my own heart ache."

"It is quite alright, I understand. You need not worry about my emotions in this whole thing anyway, I will make sure to stay out of your way." Not the prettiest way for her to say it, but she really did want to give Hephaestus room for his heart to settle again. She did not want him to force himself to love her because of their arrangement.

_So, she does not care at all that she is now married? I am nothing?_

"Ah, I see how it is then. Yes, let me suffer while you go and have more affairs even though you are newly married. Why not! I am nothing but a cripple anyway, nothing worth fighting for here." He was kind, but he would not take insult to injury, especially from his new _wife_.

He always thought there was more to Aphrodite than meets the eye, but perhaps that side of her would be reserved from him.

Aphrodite was taken aback by his reaction. She had _never_ heard him raise his voice, let alone so violently, in front of anyone before. "No I did not mean –" she began, but was cut off by Hephaestus storming towards the door in a rage.

"I need to think. Please, stay, use what you need, _wife_ ," and he slammed the door and was gone, leaving Aphrodite cowering and hurt in her cold wedding bed.

She cried herself to sleep, cursing her heart.

But in the morning she was again Aphrodite – the seductress and heart breaker and lover, and she would not let her cruel husband break what was hers.

While Hephaestus was gone, he saw the error of his ways – it really was not Aphrodite's fault that she was also in this mess, and if anything she was probably trying to be considerate. He really did not mean to be cruel, or to start their marriage so horribly, and Aphrodite probably thought him the monster that his body deceived.

He really did not know what she liked, or how he could say sorry, but he did see her with wonderful jewelry all the time, so he spent the rest of the evening at his forge creating a masterpiece for his wife to wear.

He slaved over the perfect necklace to represent his perfect wife. Where Hestia would be very subtle, Aphrodite was larger than life in personality – not the dramatic princess she showed to the world, but the excitement she found in new music and passion over affairs at Council.

When he was done, he rushed back to _their_ home to find that is was quite empty. Well, he couldn't really blame her for leaving. But when the minutes turned to hours, worry started to settle into the pit of his stomach.

And when she returned in the evening, obviously a little too happy and sated, he really regretted leaving the night prior. When he stood up from his seat to take a better look at her, she was not in fact as happy as her flushed cheeks seemed to show; her eyes were glassy and her smile was very small, as if painful to uphold.

"Ah, Hephaestus, so nice to see you home," her voice dripped with venom and her eyes bore into his, until she had to look away because of all the sadness that they held. _He_ did this to her after all, and it was not _her_ he was sad about, but his lovely _Hestia_.

"Yes, I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. Uh- here." He gave her the box that housed his creation, unsure of how to proceed any further with Aphrodite's fury.

She looked at it hesitantly, and when she opened it to find the beautiful necklace that was adorned with amethysts and emeralds and covered in gold, her eyes widened in visible surprise. This was absolutely lovely! And it was for her?

Aphrodite didn't know what to say to this turn of events, she had never seen Hephaestus's jewelry before, but she had heard it was beautiful and this was _definitely_ beautiful.

But, is this what love was? Aphrodite didn't really want a relationship built on gifts and pretty things if she didn't have his heart. Especially if he had left in a huff the night before because of his sore emotions.

This was too much for her for one night, but if this was all that he wanted than she was more than willing to look happy at his peace offering in exchange for a 'happy' wife, and to continue on as they had – she had plenty of suitors looking for her hand for the night, and by keeping her happy with jewelry she was sure this could work out… somehow.

"This is beautiful, thank you." She gave him a soft smile and turned around so he could place the necklace on her neck. The feel of his hands on her neck sent shivers down her spine, which was new and quite exciting really, and she noticed he lingered longer than necessary on the curve of her neck. She wished he would make this easier on both of them.

Hephaestus knew that something was still wrong, but that would just mean he needed to try harder to win her affections back. He knew being the goddess of beauty that she probably did not find him very handsome, but with his art perhaps he could convince her that he was not as horrible as he was made out to be.

Hestia still burned in his heart, but he had the future to look forward to, and when he again went to the forge he immediately went to work on his next piece for Aphrodite.

While Aphrodite immediately went back to Ares's bed.

It had been months, perhaps _years_ , since their marriage, and Hephaestus had lost track of time. Every day, he would work in his forge creating a new piece of jewelry for Aphrodite, and return to their home to find her flushed and breathing heavily from her private excursions.

But every time he would present to her his new creation, he would not see indifference, or anger, or mockery in her eyes, but sadness, and every night that they slept as far away from each other as possible, he would try to decipher that sadness and understand how to fix it.

Aphrodite had become his world, and every time that she had that sad look in her eye it made him sad, and he just wanted to kiss her eyes and her face and her _everything_ until he could see the little spark he had never seen before but _knew_ was in there.

But every time that she would go and find a new affair with Ares or Hermes or _whoever,_ it broke him a little more in turn, and he just wanted her to _stop_ a minute so he could really look at her and she could look inside of him and see that he wanted to love her with everything he had.

So one night as he sat at his workshop, he created a net to trap her with one of her lovers; he finished earlier than he usually would and found her in Ares's mansion.

Then the whole affair turned sour and instead of giving her a wakeup call, it turned into a fiasco with the gods shaming Aphrodite while she tried to scratch her way out the net with tears covering her cheeks, and he wanted to scream at his brothers and sisters that his wife was _not a whore!_

So when Aphrodite finally fled back to their home, he followed her immediately, knowing fully well that she would be absolutely infuriated.

Why would Hephaestus _do that to her?_ She knew she was no Hestia, but she had stayed out of his way and accepted his peace offerings and what else did he want? Her heart so he could break it while his belonged to another? She stormed off to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her and waited for his imminent arrival, hoping that he would take his time enjoying his fame at humiliating her once and for all.

But she got no such luck, and he arrived immediately after her. To his surprise, she was not fuming angry, but was instead curled up in a ball _bawling_ under the silks in the middle of their bed. His heart ached at the sight, and her being angry would have been much better.

"Aphrodite –"

"Please, no." Her voice was muffled by the pillow she was stuffing her face into, scooting away from the general direction she heard his voice. "I-I really don't need you to pretend to love me, Hephaestus. I was fine before all of this happened. I know you still love Hestia, and that's fine, but just don't bother me about it anymore." She whimpered, and all of a sudden everything seemed a little clearer to Hephaestus.

He sat in a chair, keeping his distance from the woman he really _needed_ to love. She was no Hestia, it was true, but she was bright and beautiful and everything that he was missing before she showed up.

"I'm _so_ sorry Aphrodite, I know you won't believe me, but embarrassing you was not my intention. And I know my jewelry hasn't been enough for you, I should have seen that from the beginning, the only reason I ever made them in the first place was because they reminded me of your beauty." His voice was a gentle whisper, as if afraid to startle her further, and he sounded so genuine, she paused for a minute. When he saw her blue eyes poke out from where they were hiding under the pillow, he smiled, and she hadn't seen him smile in so long it made her blush. He really _was_ very handsome.

"You're one of a kind, and I didn't know how to show you I wanted to care. And I _do_ want to care, properly, because now I know gifts won't win you over, and you deserve more than just those."

"I love your gifts, you make them just for me." She sniffled a bit, and he smiled at her, his eyes boring through hers and right into her soul.

"I do, but I want to show you more how much I truly care. You are no Hestia, but I do not want you to be, nor should you be. I want you to be you, because _you_ are my wife and my future, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

She let his words sink in, and it made her heart flutter. She felt like she was floating, but then - "Why did you throw that net at me?"

He had the decency to blush, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "Well, it seems very foolish now, but I wanted to stop our routine, it was really hurting me." His eyes started to tear up, so he looked away from his wife's gaze, "I wanted to… wake you up, I wanted to show you, you didn't need a lover's arms to warm you at night, because I was right here, and I just wanted to hold you and cuddle you in the night."

Her giggle made everything better, but when he looked up and saw her eyes tearing up again he panicked, "What's wrong?" He had probably messed up everything again.

She got up out of the bed and threw herself into his lap, hugging him tightly while she sobbed into his shoulder, "I'm sorry Hephaestus, I was just so certain that you could never even look at me without thinking of Hestia and I was so _scared_ to – to…"

He pulled her back enough to look into her eyes, "You have _nothing_ to apologize for, do you understand?" Her nod was barely visible, "This has been my doing, all of it, and I'm _so sorry_. I hope that we can start again, because I really care about you Aphrodite, the real you. The one I see in your eyes when you think no one can see."

Now, Aphrodite just wanted to cry from happiness. But instead she lowered her head until their foreheads touched. Starting again, that sounded nice. And for once in her life, she wanted to jump in and let her heart decide. She didn't want release, she wanted to cuddle her _husband_ and tell silly stories into the morning.

She let their lips touch in a light kiss, and it burned her like no one else could and it was sweet and awkward, and much too short but for now it was enough.

He gave her that smile that made her melt and she grinned at him for all she was worth, letting him carry her back to their bed like a true bride where he held her until she told him everything she feared and he did in return.

And they learned that they absolutely fit perfectly together, and Aphrodite was certain she never wanted to let go. And Hephaestus's next project was a ring – a special ring, just for his _wife_.


	2. Chapter 2

Hephaestus woke to a little bundle of warmth wrapped up in his arms, snuggling even more into his chest than she already was at the slight movement he made to look down at her. She was so relaxed when she slept, and even more beautiful if that was possible. He really didn't know how he was lucky enough to have her as a wife, or even that she listened to him in the first place last night, but for once in his life he thanked Zeus for this small blessing.

Their marriage was not even officially consummated yet, but Hephaestus could care less, because for the first time since their marriage he slept with his wife securely in his arms, and if anything that made it even more _special_ , just _being_ together, waking up with her content and truly happy.

Aphrodite woke up to _warmth_ surrounding her in the form of two arms and a solid body. She was rightfully confused, since Helios usually never stayed long enough to see her wake, gone to wake with the sun, leaving her cold and alone – in fact none of her lovers ever held her in the night. And then she remembered the conversation she and Hephaestus had had the previous night, and everything made sense and she was so _happy_ that he was the one to hold her close. She snuggled even closer into his chest and sighed a breath of relief; she hadn't slept this well in _centuries._

When she felt her husband's deep chuckled rise from where she was resting her head against his heart, she looked up blearily into his dark eyes which depths couldn't even compete with the cerulean of the other gods. She smiled contently, and whispered "good morning" in a voice that was sweet but also a little rough from sleep.

Hephaestus found it _adorable_.

He smiled back at her, and whispered good morning in turn before kissing her forehead which made her beam despite sleep still tugging at her conscious. Hephaestus was too dang _comfy._

But soon he was tickling her awake and her laughter was like music that could rival the muses, and finally she was conscious enough to pin him to the bed and capture his lips in a kiss that left him blushing.

After an hour of giggling and kissing on their bed, Hephaestus unfortunately had to leave. He dressed for his day at the forge, leaving Aphrodite cuddling in the sheets of the bed watching him strip and seeing the strong muscles bunching in his back and shoulders as he stretched. Some pink colored her cheeks at the sight.

He limped his way back to her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Unfortunately, I must leave for the forge today. Helios has asked for some adjustments to his chariot." She blushed at the mention of her previous lover that she happened to remember that morning. He saw the red deepen on her face and figured as much. "I will be back this evening, and then I shall be all of yours to command."

Aphrodite liked the sound of _that_ very much, and when he saw the mischievous smirk grace her lips he had to leave her side before he was truly stuck in bed with her all day.

However, before he could limp across the threshold to their bed chamber he heard a very quiet "umm" escape his wife from behind him. He turned around to see her looking down at her hands which were fumbling around in her lap, and the ironic sight of the goddess of love being so awkward in their bed was not lost on him.

Despite being incredibly sensual, he could not help but think that his wife was absolutely _cute_ as well.

"Is there something the matter?"

"May I… join you at your forge today? I am not as crafty as you, of course, but perhaps I could keep you company?" She was so nervous and it was probably because Hestia used to sit there with him and he wanted to kiss her until she knew how much her offer made his heart flutter.

"Of course, I would _love_ your company." She looked up at him and absolutely beamed, and he could see why the god of the sun took an interest in her.

He took a hold of her hand and they were whisked away to his humble forge.

She sat herself down nearby at one of his work benches awaiting to watch him work and help if she could, and when Hephaestus turned from the welcome view to his forge, he noticed it slightly stronger than when he travelled here by himself. It was twirling and flaring and even the flames took a deeper red color. With Hestia, the flames were constantly changing with the direction of the wind, but while he got to work he saw that with Aphrodite, the flames were constant and welcoming, but not burning to the touch.

He began working on the enhancements of the chariot for Helios, and Aphrodite was completely entranced by his work. Her cheeks burned, still slightly uncomfortable in the forge she had never visited while Hephaestus was so focused – she felt like she was intruding on some intimate occasion while he poured his heart into his work.

Now she could see that not only was the jewelry he made her beautiful, it was carved of passion as well. It made her heart beat erratically at the sentiment this god was giving her, and her stomach twist uncomfortably at her former ignorance.

Soon, however, she was not only observing but also helping with the task at hand. With Hephaestus surrounding her in his embrace, helping her bring the hammer up and down onto the piece of metal they were working on, she felt _amazing_ and Hephaestus realized that all his forge was really missing all this time was her laugh.

Unfortunately, Hephaestus forgot that Ares was supposed to pick up his new armor for the war he was waging, which left Aphrodite feeling quite uncomfortable. At the sight of the war god, her body was called to his beauty, and when Hephaestus left to retrieve the new piece of metal she was left cold but also wanting and she was so confused.

Ares approached her, and grabbed her bottom aggressively, making her squeak but not out of happy surprise, but uncomfortable contact.

"Please stop." She told him firmly, but he persisted.

"What, your husband has gone for the moment, so you have nothing to fear. Come on, one more kiss to keep me going before this evening. I will see you, correct?"

Hephaestus walked in at the moment Aphrodite yelled a mighty "No", but with Ares not giving up his pursuit. He knew immediately the look of discomfort on his wife's face was from the god of war, and tackled him with a spare mallet lying on his table.

He wobbled in front of Aphrodite, separating the two and whispering in warning, "Leave my wife alone."

Ares, his anger burning in his throat spat out "Fine, enjoy your _cripple_ , whore." Before grabbing the armor Hephaestus dropped in his haste and leaving in a fury.

It was true, Hephaestus would never be as handsome as the war god, and it hurt to know that he could never compare for his wife, but right now she needed him to be strong as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

He gathered her immediately, sat down at one of his benches and held her in his lap as she dug her hands and face into his chest.

"I- I tried to tell him to s-stop but he wouldn't…" and now Aphrodite hated everything about herself because she really just brought this upon herself with her previous loose mannerisms.

He again pulled her close enough to hold but far enough to look into her eyes that were so much deeper than she would ever know. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and told her, the most serious he had ever been, even more than the night before, "This is _not_ your fault. You are not a whore, you never were - you are my _wife_ and a _woman_."

Somehow, he always knew what to say to make her feel better, and she could already feel the smile forming on her face just by feeling and looking at him.

But then she was frowning again, because there was a more urgent matter at hand.

She took his face in her hands, and stared into his eyes that she would never see the end of. She could feel the insecurity of his appearance coming off of him in waves, and she needed that to stop because someone so handsome deserved the confidence of one as well.

"You are the most handsome man I have _ever_ met. I couldn't have asked for a more strong and capable man."

He wanted to believe her, but she was the goddess of beauty after all. How could he compare to even a capable mortal man?

But she started kissing his cheek and his jaw where the skin was distorted, every place that she could see it, and his heart ached and he could feel the tears flow down his cheeks at her touch.

She kissed his lips and they tasted of salt and him and of fire, and he believed her every word because every one of them was true.

He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist while squealing excitedly at the strength her husband possessed - how he _spat_ in the face of his lame leg - and he grinned at her reaction.

He moved them until they were at the bench directly in front of his large forge, her legs still wrapped around him, and he moved a chunk of pure gold into it to heat up. He already had the mold prepared, now he just needed the help of the woman currently in his lap.

She didn't know what he had planned next since they already finished all the work that was required of him, but she was excited none the less. While the metal was melting, he showed her an array of stones and ornaments, and asked her to choose the ones she preferred.

Out of the whole display, she chose a single, deep topaz that kept its orange tinge but was almost a dark amber. It reminded her of the fire behind Hephaestus's eyes.

Once the gold was hot enough, they poured it together into the circular mold, and Hephaestus carefully embedded the topaz in its center.

While it cooled, they passed the time with kissing and soft touches.

Once complete, he took the creation out to show to Aphrodite, who was mesmerized by its pure perfection. Upon seeing it was a ring, she was slightly jealous of who would be receiving it because it was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen despite its simplicity.

"Who is it for?"

Hephaestus in response kneeled before her, "Since I never got to properly court you, and you deserve the best courtship there is, the least I could do was create for you a ring of my devotion, to show that you are mine and I am yours alone."

He gently took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. Aphrodite could not speak, and really didn't believe she deserved all of this because who would ever think that she deserved more than a tumble in bed? She hugged him tightly, and they left his forge as man and woman, immortally each other's.

Despite the changing of the seasons and the years to follow after, Aphrodite never took of her ring. The ring that symbolized the affection and devotion that she had always craved, and Hephaestus knew she deserved.


	3. Chapter 3

"I will see you in the evening, my beauty."

Aphrodite, although hearing it many times before from others, always blushed when her husband complimented her so. Every day, he would leave to the forge with a kiss on the cheek, which he returned with a kiss on the nose or forehead, and every day she awaited his return with an anticipation she had never felt before.

And every night when he would return he would be showered with affection he never thought he would deserve, which she was more than welcome to give with butterflies in her stomach.

Despite this newfound bliss, they had never truly consummated their relationship, but in all truth they could never find the time within their newfound bliss to do so; their moments were already too full with kisses and gifts and warmed nights.

And Aphrodite felt _happy_ and Hephaestus was content, but she could not help but feel that something was missing in their home. Which was already a _real_ home for her – not a boudoir or bed for the night. So while her husband was working and she was not visiting him, she would instead contemplate this oddness.

And then one evening when Hephaestus returned with a gift for her – now rarer but even more loved for that reason – a connection clicked.

She kissed him on the cheek and rushed away to their bedroom to where her desk was located, leaving a confused but amused Hephaestus to follow her. When he finally caught up with his darling wife, he was shooed away and a screen was erected between the bed where he laid in waiting and Aphrodite's desk, where she quickly jotted down some notes before she joined her husband in their evening cuddle:

_Hephaestus – gift._

_Music?_

_Build him a beautiful craft_ _– would need to ask for his help_

_Show him that you love him_

That made her pause for a moment. They hadn't exactly declared that they _loved_ each other yet. She hadn't declared to anyone that she… loved them, not that anyone had declared that to her without infatuation or lust lining their words.

Oh Hades, that idea made her _scared._ She could take being used countless times, being left for the next mortal 'beautiful' enough for the gods and protecting herself with a coat of ice, but actually allowing herself to fall in love with Hephaestus would be near impossible to recover from should tragedy strike - in one of its many forms.

Oh, who was she kidding, she already _was_ in love with Hephaestus. With his kindness and his soft eyes and his strength… but confessing that would be a whole other matter. With Hestia a small nuisance constantly in the back of her conscious, and her past suitors leaving their mark on her skin, it was _terrifying_ to say the least.

But, had her husband made her doubt him in all the time they had spent together? Time had melded together for her when she was near him, and she no longer counted the hours to her next affair, but counted the time until _he_ would return to her.

In all the time he had continued to prove to her his devotion, she had just _been_ there. It was her turn now.

She continued, the idea bright and clear in her mind:

_Truly_ _marry Hephaestus_

No longer needing the note – the words burned into her heart – she left her desk and very nearly jumped into the comfort of her husband's arms and soul – who was very amused at the moment by her secretive excitement.

The next morning she left Hephaestus with a kiss, and he could feel the nervous energy flowing off of her. Certain she would tell him of something devious, he could only assume that something quite wonderful was getting her very worked up.

He left with a knowing smirk, and she knew she had to get to work quickly before his simple presence made her prematurely give away her gift.

Her first stop was Hera – the goddess of marriage would teach her how to be the best wife to Hephaestus she could be.

Upon seeing the anxiety written in Aphrodite's shoulders, but the slight smile she wore, Hera knew it had to do with her new husband.

She had seen it many times before, but was surprised to see the goddess of love, of all the others, to be so nervous coming to her for advice. In all honesty, she thought Aphrodite had initially come to her as a hoax to relieve Zeus's own nerves about the arranged marriage, pretending to be happy as she had so many times before.

Hera could see all that dealt with married couples, of course.

When Aphrodite explained to her the reason for her appearance, however, Hera's soft smile of understanding grew to a grin to know that Aphrodite wished to renew her vows in a true ceremony of _love_ , and wanted to know how to be as devoted a wife as Hera, yet as gentle a goddess as Hestia.

At the mention of the goddess of the hearth's name, she saw Aphrodite flinch slightly at her own voice, which was quickly alleviated as Hera started to explain to her what she wished to seek.

"It is simple. Love him, as he deserves to be loved." The younger goddess blushed and nodded, her expression turning coy at the simple complexity of the matter.

"But most importantly, love _yourself_ as you deserve to be loved, and allow him to do the same." She blinked, slightly confused, but seeing Hera's melancholy expression she knew it came from experience, and she would not take her words lightly.

"Now, to plan a wedding of love." They beamed at each other, two goddesses excited for the future and for a show of love not seen in Olympus for too long a time.

"Please, Hera, may we plan it for tonight? I want it to be a surprise, yet I do not think I can stand being near Hephaestus without revealing what I plan." Aphrodite's plea was adorable, Hera noticed, and she was surprised to have never associated the goddess with such imagery before, although it was quite obvious now.

Hera's sly smirk and wink was all the answer that Aphrodite needed.

The day was spent visiting Athena to get a gown sewn and fitted, the muses for music fit for pure love, the sweetest ambrosia, and to decorate the gardens in which the ceremony would be set as well as Aphrodite herself.

Although Hera insisted that Aphrodite rest while preparations were made so she would be 'preppy' for the ceremony, she was too excited, and refused, wanting to plan all the details for her _love_ herself.

The final touch was finally for Zeus to agree to the renewal. Which was the easiest part of the day.

Upon seeing the two women enter his throne room, with that look Hera had when she had planned their own wedding, he wanted to be as minimally involved as possible. So, from previous experience, he declared "I consent!" without any prompting from the two goddesses, who then smiled at each other and whisked away to continue their planning.

With the harps in place, the gods waiting excitedly for the festivities, and Aphrodite in the process of getting dressed, all that was needed was Hephaestus himself.

"I shall go for him, if you need it." Hestia called from the doorway of the room Hera had converted in her home for Aphrodite to be prepared in. Both women turned to her, and instead of the jealous and angry outburst Hera was preparing for from the goddess of love, instead came a swishing of cloth and a hug.

"Thank you, Hestia." Hestia nodded. Before being let go, Aphrodite added, in a whisper, "For all of this."

Hestia's smile was soft, her eyes understanding, and she left to retrieve the final piece.

Instead of the usual warm welcome he was becoming accustomed to, Hephaestus was greeted to an empty house. Strange.

And then to his surprise, instead of Aphrodite revealing herself from some side room, it was Hestia. Now he was _really_ confused, and his face probably showed as much.

Without preamble, she began, "She is _so happy_ Hephaestus, and she makes you happy. She makes you better."

He nodded, not knowing what to say to his previous interest who was obviously making herself welcome in his home, or to her blunt statement.

"She is waiting for you, you better get dressed properly."

Still incredibly confused, but knowing he would not get any answers, he hurried off to freshen himself and found a new and incredibly nice outfit he assumed he was supposed to don, before returning to Hestia.

"Now, off we go." And she took his hand and travelled with him to the luscious garden Hera had chosen.

Now Hephaestus wasn't so confused, but he was quite speechless at the beautiful sight before him, and for seeing all of his brothers and sisters to be at what he could only consider to be a marriage ceremony.

From Hestia's previous cryptic statements and the knowing smile she was showing him now, he could only assume that it was in fact _his_ wedding ceremony.

The grin that lit up his face was huge and the happiest any of the gods had ever seen. Without prompting, he limped his way (though barely) towards his position, much much more excited this time around to be married to his beautiful, cute, caring… well, _wife_.

He did not have to wait long, for Aphrodite was as ecstatic, if not more, to begin their true union. She entered with the strumming of harps and lutes that could only try to match her beauty. Hephaestus was astonished to see Aphrodite even more stunning than normal.

Not only due to her perfect hair and attire, but to the stunning smile that brightened her whole face and showed to all the gods that she was _happy_. He wanted to cry of joy, but he wouldn't, at least not in front of all the other gods.

She made her way to stand beside her husband, and whispered in his ear "I wanted to give you a gift, to show you that I care."

He took her hand in his, "I already know you do, and thank you. This is more than I could have ever hoped for."

The ceremony went by in a blur, as they were both too focused on each other to pay much attention to it in the first place. When it came time to kiss his bride, however, they were both at attention.

Hera, exasperated but also clearly pleased, had to pull the two apart so that the ceremony could conclude and Dionysus could open up the reception with debauchery and wine.

The gods celebrated, not out of requirement to Zeus or general distraction from their own miseries, but out of cheer and joy. And when Hestia again made her way to the couple for congratulations, it was to Hephaestus celebrating his wife and not mourning her own loss.

Aphrodite hugged her for her blessing, and Hephaestus nodded to her, eyes full of what she could only describe as love and child-like joy. It was enough, _more_ than enough.

However, not all the gods were there for celebration. As Ares approached, his eyes full of that anger that made Aphrodite _scared_ when she used to visit on bad days, she knew it would not be to give them his own blessings. They were probably better off without the god of _war's_ blessing anyway.

"Congratulations, brother. Enjoy your _whore_. I'm sure she has enough warmth to share for one more bed in the night."

She cringed at his words, but when she saw the fire burn in Hephaestus's eyes at the insult of his wife, she placed a gentle hand on his chest to stop his assault. He obeyed, for he would not want to ruin this magnificent day for her by causing more trouble, and she would not meet Ares's eyes as he continued on to find drink.

Hephaestus felt the change in his wife's demeanor like the changing of the winds, and leaned down to kiss her on the side of the mouth.

"I will never let him harm you."

She knew he would. And it was enough.

The celebrations went far into the night (morning) before Hera made an excuse suitable enough for the couple to retreat to their abode, where Hephaestus carried his wife like the bride she was into their chambers and laid her on their bed gently, like it should have been that first night when she was afraid and he was distant.

Before he could retreat to change, she pulled him into a passionate kiss – one the demanded of him as much as she gave in return. It was fire and burning and it spoke of things to come.

When they finally separated for breath, she gave him that smile that made his cheeks flush instantly, "I want _you_ to be _mine_. But more importantly, I want _all_ of me, to be yours. Only yours." She breathily whispered in his ear.

He could not move away to change fast enough, leaving her to strip on their bed. He removed his outfit, laying it out carefully for he knew it must have taken Athena a very long time to prepare it, and turned around to claim his wife, as per request.

Only to find her still in her wedding dress, only a strap removed off of her shoulder before she had seemingly fallen straight asleep. He chuckled, for he had never seen her so exhausted.

 _She must have spent at least all day preparing for this_ , which only made her exhaustion all the better and all the more cute.

Trying carefully not to wake her, he removed her dress, changing her into a comfortable nightgown, and took her into his arms. He cradled her, their bodies fitting perfectly together, and kissed her chastely on the forehead before trying to shake off the rest of his adrenaline to join her in sleep.

Although, he could have sworn he heard her quietly sigh "I love you" into his chest before Hypnos claimed him for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Marriage with Hephaestus was absolutely amazing, and Aphrodite could not ask for a better husband, companion, and lover.

Well… not lover _yet._

Despite being _really_ married now, they had yet to officiate their commitment and Aphrodite, quite frankly, was _aching_ for her husband. She wanted – _needed_ – him, and every night that passed by just made the fire in her grow even hotter. It was getting unbearable.

It was not as if they had not wanted to make everything 'official'; Hephaestus was starting to reach his limit of waiting as well, if he was honest, but it seemed time was not on their sides as ironic as that might sound for immortal gods.

Ever since their wedding night, when Aphrodite's exhaustion ruined her attempt, they had barely a moment to spend together. With all the time Hephaestus had spent with Aphrodite recently, the demands for his skills were piling up, forcing him to work the day until dinner, where he would eat and talk with his wife all night, trying to appease her need of him since he would not be useful in _other_ ways for the time being with his exhaustion. She did not mind, for she knew how busy he was, but their long discussions into the night only made him work slower and thus the cycle continued.

Well, Aphrodite had had enough, and she was ready to put her foot down. She wanted her husband as she had never wanted a man before, and she knew he deserved a break from all his long days and nights.

She already had the perfect arrangement in place and all she needed was a distraction for her husband, and to make sure her surprise would be well received.

She did not want Hephaestus to fall asleep in the middle of her seduction, of course!

(She knew how that turned out - at least weeks without _any_ seduction to follow - which was not ideal.)

When she saw Hephaestus off for his day of work, she kissed him a little bit more passionately than she usually did, and he returned it in kind, drinking all of her in. She still got butterflies in her stomach when he paid so much attention to her, and she smirked into the kiss before pushing him off.

Her smile held promises for more to come, and the look he gave her which was full of _hunger_ made her cheeks flush before he was off again to his forge.

Calming herself enough to think clearly, she called upon Hestia who had turned out to be a good friend to both the new bride and groom, and she was always willing to talk and bond with Aphrodite during the day when her temple was less busy than usual. Today, knowing full well that Aphrodite had _something_ planned for Hephaestus (she was really bad at hiding her excitement), she came as soon as she was able.

"Yes, Aphrodite? What has gotten you all excited?" Hestia's smirk was knowing, and a little amused in her own right.

"Oh, is it really that obvious?" Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as her hands rung in her robes in anxious excitement. For being the goddess of love, her husband made her flustered a little too often.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she patted beside her in an invitation for Hestia to sit which she gladly took, before launching into an explanation of her situation and her plan. By the time she was done, she could not look Hestia in the eye properly and she really just wanted to get all of this into motion before she _died_ from the butterflies threatening her stomach.

_If I was not mistaken, I would say she is the virgin goddess._

Hestia could not hide her amusement behind the goofy smile she wore on her face, but she was more than willing to distract Hephaestus from working and going home long enough for Aphrodite to prepare their home for her… _plan_.

She went off to follow Hephaestus to the forge, and Aphrodite set off to prepare the house.

"Hephaestus!"

"Ah! Dammit, woman! Don't scare me while I'm hammering!" Hephaestus turned around to see Hestia standing there with a wide grin on her face and an evil twinkle in her eye. Their rapport had turned to one between siblings watching over each other, and he couldn't be happier about it. Unless she showed up and her face had _that_ look on it.

"What are you up to _now?_ " She tried to hide her amusement, but it was obvious she was hiding something.

"Nothing! I've just seen you working hard all the time now, thought you might enjoy a break, perhaps a stroll around Olympus?"

If there was one thing he learned from the woman in his life, it was to not question their intentions. And, swear on the Styx, he did deserve a break after all the hard work he had done as of late.

 _Perhaps I'll have enough energy for my wife._ His smile was radiant every time he thought about the beauty that was all his, and his gaze became distant for a few seconds. Hestia knew that look, and instead of ruining his daydream she simply grabbed his arm and dragged him out for some much needed relaxation.

Aphrodite was quite pleased with herself. She had prepared everything for the arrival of her husband – she had decorated their bedroom with candles, red ribbons to adorn their furniture, and red roses to cover the bed as her signature. It was absolutely perfect, and she then spent the day preparing with her muses the perfect dinner for her husband, though it took much longer than she thought for all the muses had different opinions on what was best… and she just hoped dinner would pass by quickly.

Finally, she readied herself as she had never done before – her hair was to perfection, she bathed in scented soaps and oils to smell just like roses, and she adorned her girdle. She pulled a house robe over her ensemble – which _just_ fit her curves and showed her body enough to be sensual but not gaudy – and awaited for her husband's return.

She heard his return and was surprised, for he was quite early and Hestia was always precise in her timing, but she welcomed him nonetheless. She positioned herself on their bed and waited for his approach.

As she heard him approach the bedroom calling her name, she scrambled towards the bed for the final piece of the puzzle to be put into place. But of all the times to be _clumsy_ , it had to be now for the poor goddess of love.

Before she could make her way onto the bed, a stray sheet had made its way onto the floor and subsequently under her foot, making her fall face first into the mattress.

She gave out a surprised squeak, and fumbled with the sheets in a fight to not look completely foolish in front of the one man she was _trying_ to impress, but it was to no avail as the sheets decided to fit back.

When Hestia said she wanted to take a stroll around Olympus, Hephaestus should have known she meant the _whole_ of Olympus. She had nearly wasted away his full day, but when he saw it was past-due the time to return home, he bid her a quick farewell before she could protest so he could see his lovely wife again.

He had to thank her, though, for although the walk was strenuous it was a welcome relief from being hunched over the fire of the forge, and he felt reenergized and refreshed, which he was certain his wife would use to her full advantage.

Not that he was complaining.

However, when he returned home to find Aphrodite not waiting for him with a scowl on her face for being late, he assumed the worst and went off looking for her throughout their home. That's when he heard the squeak and a struggle coming from their bedroom, and ran off as quickly as he could.

Only to find his wife in a heap of crumpled sheets with a shamed look upon her face, as if she had spoiled something wonderful. He was amused and his smirk showed it, but utterly confused, until he looked around the room once again. It was decorated in fine ribbons and candles, and looking at his wife again he saw that she was in nothing but her girdle and house-robe.

Everything quickly clicked for Hephaestus, and he asked, rather stupefied, "You did all of this for me?"

She had never seen him grin so widely, which made her feel slightly better, "Yes, but as you can see I ruined it. For being as graceful as all the mortals claim, I sure have two left feet when around you." His smile grew if that was possible, and her cheeks flushed. She looked away from him and continued, "I must look quite foolish, me with all my plans."

She tried laughing at herself, but when she looked up again to see Hephaestus with that serious look in his eyes, she stopped.

He approached her on the bed, until he was lying beside her and she could feel the heat from his body and he could smell the roses from her now slightly rumpled hair.

"You are _adorable._ "

"Well, that wasn't exactly what I was going for." But she couldn't hide her smile, and his eyes drank in the sight of his wife. He had never seen her more beautiful – with her cheeks as red as apples and her hair slightly messed, giving her the look of an exotic princess, and her eyes with that twinkle that was saved just for him.

"I really don't deserve someone like you." Before she could protest about how wrong he was, he leaned forward and captured her lips with his own. Her noise of protest was replaced quickly with her moan of need – need only for _him._

Before they continued, however, Aphrodite needed to say one more thing, which she had been too shy to do before, only whispering to her husband in the dead of night when she was sure he was asleep.

And now, she needed him to know that she really didn't deserve him either.

She pushed him back enough to breath, their breath mingling together, before she declared to the world in a whisper only loud enough for him to hear "I love you."

And then he was on her and invading her mouth and kissing her neck and she had never seen him like this, but she liked it and she was moaning his name while he touched and kissed her _everywhere._

She had never had a lover be as attentive to her as she was to them, and she was slightly flustered at how odd it felt but she welcomed it while Hephaestus stripped both of them of their clothing while his mouth never left her skin.

Between every kiss he left on her skin, showing that she was _his_ , he whispered into her skin "I love you", hoping to convince her of her worth and that she was beautiful but not just because she was destined to be so as the goddess of love.

And she couldn't get enough of Hephaestus's touches and kisses and _him_ being so close to her, and she had never felt this way before and it was amazing. None of her other lovers had shown her such delicate care, yet she was not sure what to do with herself while she was lavished upon.

Between her own bliss, she tried to push Hephaestus off to show him the same attentions, but he would not allow it, "Let me love you. _Really_ love you." And she understood what he was asking and she let him feel every inch of her, let him feel every gasp she gave and shudder of her body.

"Next time, however…" She breathily replied, but could not finish her thought for her husband was chuckling against her skin and the vibrations felt like perfection.

But then his teasing was not enough and too much at the same time, and she was begging for him and he could do nothing but give in to her, and then they were _one_ and it was the most amazing feeling for both of them.

Once they were done, and they were satisfied and tired, they lazily entwined themselves on their bed until even they could not tell where one ended and the other began. No words were spoken, for they were not necessary, and they shared soft touches and kisses into the dawn.

"I love you."

Aphrodite, without hesitation, had never felt more _content_ in her life.


	5. Chapter 5

Aphrodite was mad. But not her normal mad - because that happened often for an assortment of different reasons – no, this was a mad that none of the gods had witnessed before. It was not the dramatic flair that Aphrodite was infamous for, where she would rage her way through the halls and gardens of Olympus, yelling off the ears of many an unfortunate god who was unlucky enough to be in the path of her rampage. This was much _much_ worse.

Even Zeus was afraid when the Council was called together for one of their meetings, and Aphrodite walked in with a completely neutral face that hide everything, and none of her usual dramatics.

She was quietly fuming, everyone could tell, and it was absolutely terrifying.

Perhaps especially so for those few that did not see Hephaestus in a favorable light, such as Ares or Demeter. Even when they weren't looking, they could feel Aphrodite's eyes blazing into their very cores.

Of course she would have found out how they whispered behind her husband's back about his lame leg, or the spell he must have used to win over Aphrodite. She always found out (and the gods who loved seeing the couple so happy were quite helpful as well). And she had had quite enough.

So every time Council was called, and she was forced into a room with such… _rude_ gods, her ire grew just an inch more – but it was far too late for any of them, for her anger was already boiling. But instead of her usual dramatic flairs, she quietly schemed and concocted a plan while the other gods trembled in their togas for what she could possibly cause to destroy them.

So everyone was quite surprised to see Circe stroll into Council one day with Aphrodite leading her. She took her usual seat beside Hephaestus, immediately taking his proffered hand in her own, and had Circe stand behind her seat like a watchful guardian.

Once the meeting's main points of discussion were resolved and the floor was open, Aphrodite immediately stood with Circe following close behind until they both stood in the middle of the Council chamber with Aphrodite's and Circe's heads both held high.

"Circe," Zeus nodded to the goddess, "What has brought you here today?"

"Lord Zeus, Aphrodite has brought me here to prove to those she has called… 'evil'," at that Aphrodite glared at all the gods and goddesses who were guilty of their crime while they cowered in fear, "that her husband is the most reputable of the gods, and while others who were in his position would force or simply take, he is a true god in his advances to his wife. And that she truly loves him, not of some spell concocted. I swear on the river Styx I am here to tell the truth, and am not here just for Aphrodite's favor."

Hephaestus looked surprised, but honestly quite pleased. He was also tired of the whispers he heard behind his back, and seeing his wife looking so strong and defiant and beautiful in front of the whole Council to fight for their love was truly magnificent. He was excited for night to come, for he knew when she was in these moods it was a treat for both of them. He hoped no one saw his smirk.

Even Zeus looked quite pleased with this turn of events, for that meant no gods would be found murdered or gravely injured due to Aphrodite's rage like he had initially suspected. "Very well, Circe, continue." His voice could not hide his amusement.

"Well, after much reflecting and council I have found no sign of spells or potions at work. Aphrodite and Hephaestus's love is true."

And with that Aphrodite's face broke into a wide grin and she bounded over to her husband, plopping herself down in his lap and kissing him in front of all the other gods with a passion they had never seen before (and that was saying something about the mercurial goddess).

Okay, so perhaps Aphrodite was absolutely furious at some of the other gods for questioning her pure love when they had never really had it themselves. But perhaps more importantly she wanted to declare her pure and true love to all, not afraid of the future anymore no matter how uncertain it was, and especially to show her husband how much she loved him.

And to say the least of the love Hephaestus rained on Aphrodite that night, she was walking funny enough for even Artemis to ask what had happened to her the next morning (the poor, pure goddess).


	6. Chapter 6

Ares was the god of war. He thrived on domination, on winning, on being the victor of elusive wars and prizes. Perhaps that it is why he had taken such an interest in Aphrodite. It was not that he loved her, or liked her presence all that much, but if he could hold power of the goddess of _love?_ Flaunt her as a prize? That was exhilarating.

Perhaps that is also the reason why Ares was so _pissed_ when Aphrodite decided to actually love her husband – if that was even true in the first place. Either way, Ares didn't care where her heart lied, as long as she still warmed his bed. When she refused him at the forge, that was the last straw, and for all that he was brute strength, he was a strategist as well.

He watched, waited, and when he finally knew when Aphrodite would follow her husband to the forge and work with him for the day, he made his descent towards the ever-glowing workshop. He watched as Hephaestus left Aphrodite to bend a thin piece of gold, probably for a necklace, while he went to storage bring in some more metals. Seeing his opportunity arise, he snuck up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

 _That was fast._ Hephaestus was only gone a few moments before returning to her side. She leaned back into his touch, but Aphrodite admitted it felt… odd. Different? Which was even stranger considering he was holding her the same way only a moment before.

"Love?" She questioned, unsure of it is was really her husband, but not certain either way.

"Yes, love?" Ares replied in that drawling, horrible voice. She knew immediately who was holding her captive, and tried to wrench away from him, kicking him with all her might. But he was the war god, and she was never meant to be a fighter, so he simply waited until she exhausted herself of her efforts to close in on her again, holding her flush against his body.

"Leave me _alone!_ " She cried, but Ares had not intentions to, and Hephaestus's workshop was made of stone so her voice did not carry.

"Why would I, _love_?" he mocked, "I have only just arrived, and I've missed you so dearly. You missed me, of course." It wasn't a question, it never was with him.

He started kissing her neck, simply holding her as her vigor returned and she started kicking and screaming once more. She had never felt more weak in her life against the strong arms of Ares, but she was meant for only Hephaestus and they loved each and Ares was a disgusting pig, so she kept fighting him, hoping that he would again leave her be as he did that long time ago. But last time she had Hephaestus, and she wasn't sure when he would return from the vast labyrinth of a storage room he kept.

And then she saw his return from the corner of her eye, and she saw the rage building in his eyes seeing what Ares was doing to his love. She was scared, for as much as she wanted to be let out of this horrid embrace, she didn't want Hephaestus to brashly act against one of the strongest of the gods and be hurt. That would be _horrible._

Hephaestus saw the fear in his wife's eyes, and acted quickly. Moving out of her line of sight for only a moment, he snuck around Ares to his forge, where a sword was being heated. Swiftly pulling it out, he ran towards the intruder and rammed the hot piece of metal into his side to avoid hitting Aphrodite in the process.

Ares howled in pain, for this was no ordinary sword but Hephaestus's own steel, and let go of his captive to try and remove the sword where it was embedded in his side, digging into his ribs.

Aphrodite fled from him and launched herself into her husband's arms, clinging to him and causing his shoulder to become moist with her tears while he held her as close as he could. With a coldness she was unaware the warm god could hold, he turned to Ares and stated "go," which caused the behemoth to growl, his eyes full of hate but aware that he could not fight with a sword in his abdomen, and disappeared with the deformed metal still embedded in his side.

Hephaestus turned his full attention to his wife, who was clinging to him for dear life as she sobbed. He soothed, whispering in her ear and rubbing her back, until she was calm enough to speak to him. When she did look at him, her eyes were puffy red and full of fear, and shame. The thought that his wife would be shameful of another forcing her made his heart ache, and he kissed her eyes and cheeks to try to wipe away any doubt that he blamed her or didn't love her.

"Did he harm you?" His voice was low and deep.

She sniffled, "N-not like that, but he held me and groped me, and he wouldn't let go and then he was kissing my neck and _oh it was horrible!_ " And then she was crying anew onto his shoulder because she was the goddess of love and she had never experienced anything more the opposite than what Ares attempted and Hephaestus wanted to kill him for what he had done.

But his love was in his arms, and he needed to take care of her. He took them back to their home immediately, making sure that she knew that she was loved in whatever way possible – bringing her the sweetest ambrosia, massaging her joints until she relaxed under his touch, and just laying by her until he saw a little smile make its way on her face, and he kissed her.

When finally (after a thorough catnap in front of the fireplace) Aphrodite decided to broach the subject, it surprised Hephaestus to hear what she had to say. She placed her hand in his as she snuggled further into his side.

"I know you what you're planning, love. Please don't go after him. He's dangerous, and the last thing I want is you getting hurt." Her voice was small, and a little shaky, and when he looked in her eyes he still saw the fear of the god returning. He listened to her request, because he had something much better planned.

"I promise I won't," she sighed a breath of relief at that, "because you will be the one to."

" _What_?" She looked up at Hephaestus's face, astonished and fearful, and before she could start crying again that she would be forced by her love to confront such a vile god again he wrapped his arm around her, trapping her to him. With this god, she did not mind.

He looked directly in her eyes as he spoke, "You are strong, Aphrodite. You can show him that he does not control you – you," he paused, Aphrodite looked like she was about to have a panic attack, "Do you hear me?" And he cupped her face in his hands and hoped he showed in his eyes all the love and devotion and conviction he has for her, "You are _strong._ "

She looks back at him, and she wants to believe him, but she cannot help but think how she will be crushed under Ares's thumb if she dare oppose him anymore than she already did. But the more she lay with Hephaestus, mulling over the idea rather than the command she assumed it was, the more it appealed to her. She _wanted_ to be strong against Ares – show him she was not his to possess, like some kind of object. She hesitantly looked back up to her love from her perch on his shoulder.

"Will you be there with me, if I need you?" He nodded, uncertainty in his deep eyes, "But with a steel sword, right?" And at that he smiled at her, and when she started giggling he joined in with his own deep chuckle, and Aphrodite decided that yes, if her husband was there for her then she could be stronger than the brute.

She did not immediately jump out of bed to go in search of her enemy, however. She reflected for a time, and when Hephaestus was with her they reflected as well, and with him she found in time she was ready to confront Ares and show him _exactly_ how much he owned her.

She was no strategist, so she simply found wherever he currently was training in Olympus and approached him, Hephaestus close behind and other various gods milling about. He was sweating profusely, and she could only assume he had finished a long workout.

Or he was just gross, as always.

Either way, she approached with a stride dear Athena would be jealous of, her head held high and strong and looking directly into Ares's eyes when he noticed her, Hephaestus watching from a pillar behind her with a proud smile on his face.

Seeing that it was Aphrodite approaching him, a lecherous smile appeared on Ares's face, "Ah, come back for mo-"

Before he could finish a large _slap!_ could be heard through the halls of Olympus, and now all the other gods' attention was on them as well.

Aphrodite had slapped Ares in the face.

It was not necessarily a strong slap (in a god's case) and Ares's did not move an inch, nor did his face swell red from the contact, but his bewildered expression showed Aphrodite that the mere _thought_ that she had slapped him left him speechless. She wanted to smile, but it was not the time yet.

Her voice was regal and cool, "You do not _own me_. In fact, you _never_ did. And if try to take me again, from my _husband_ no less, you will pay dearly." And she knew he would. The speech was simple and short, and she wished it sounded a bit more elegant, but it would do to get through the god's thick skull. He would be furious, but then again he had never seen her quite so cool and calm and furious either, so perhaps he would listen to her.

Still stunned in silence, she returned to Hephaestus's arms, shaking like a leaf and more than a little relieved to have his warmth surrounding her. But she left so _good_ too, like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders – not to embarrass Ares (although the berating from Hermes, of all people, she could hear him getting was also satisfying), not to make Hephaestus happy, but for herself. Even if he attempted to take her again, she knew that she would be strong, and that Hephaestus would take care of her no matter how much pain he endured, and she would do the same.

When she looked into her husband's smiling eyes all she could see was pride, and she couldn't have asked for a better partner in crime. That's right, _partner._

(Although, she wasn't scared to admit that she was _all_ his, either).


	7. Chapter 7

Hephaestus didn't know what he loved most about his wife. Maybe it was the way she smiled that certain smile, the one that put Helios's morning sunrises to shame, the one that was sweeter than all of the ambrosia of the gods or of Dionysus's wine, which she only ever showed to him. Perhaps it was the way her body fit perfectly against his, as if they were made for each other and for centuries that was all they were ever really looking for – each other.

Some of it had to come from the way she would simply _moan_ when he teased her, and then _beg_ for him when he teased just a little too much, and then she would cry his name and it was more beautiful than Apollo's music. Maybe it was how she would only ever cry of pleasure from him and his ministrations, and no other god.

It probably had to do with how she would take up most of their bed, even though she was half his size, because she was a little furnace and he couldn't dream of not sleeping with her pressed up alongside him. Maybe it was the way she would always be bleary-eyed and obviously tired in the mornings, but still wake up to give him a kiss good-bye as he set off to the forge before flopping into bed again.

It definitely had to do with how sensual she was and could be, yet her cheeks would flush a beautiful pink and she would become flustered from a single compliment from him. She had such an effect over him, a dizzying spell, and he had the same effect over her. A wonderful, mutual intoxication, an addiction they would never satisfy, and he would never have it any other way.

Perhaps it was how she showed him off to all of the other gods, as if trying to say 'here he is, my wonderful husband, and I love him with all that I am!', which he could do nothing of but beam while she dragged him through the halls of Olympus, kissing him senseless in front of Poseidon and Hades and Demeter.

And there were a million and one more little things he could say he loved most about Aphrodite, but then he would remember that it was not all of these little things squashed together that made him love his wife. It was the fact that it _was_ _Aphrodite,_ the goddess he loved and could not live without, that made him love every little thing about her.

And then he would kiss her until her cheeks were flushed and she couldn't properly breathe, and then make her moan in that way that he absolutely _loved_.

And in every little way that she would say 'I love you', he made sure to say it right back.


	8. Chapter 8

Over time Aphrodite, Persephone, Hestia, and Hera formed a type of alliance, one could say. They regularly came together to discuss various topics, from the issues of the gods to their own husbands (besides the ever-virgin Hestia, of course). This, in general, made Hephaestus very happy – seeing his wife become close with goddesses that he valued greatly in his life – but it also made him slightly jealous as their discussions sometimes went long into the night, when he would really rather have Aphrodite all to himself.

Not that he was jealous, or ever complained, but occasionally he just… _missed_ her, he supposed. Yes, he might have seen her that very morning, but it did not mean he did not miss her when he was working, and then when saw that she was still socializing when he returned home.

It became increasingly obvious to him when almost every night Aphrodite was busy hosting the various goddesses rather than welcoming him home with her kisses and hugs, and other various distractions…

But every night he did not complain, and rather waited for her to return to his side – when she would subsequently say that she was tired and immediately jump under their silken sheets to go to bed.

Never one to over-worry when there was no reason to, he waited to see if this habit would break – their routine would return to normal, and his wife would return to him, cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

But it did not seem that was the case; in fact, it seemed that their meetings became more and more prolonged, and Aphrodite came to bed later and later each night…

However, Hephaestus simply kissed her good night when she did return and did not say more, in case something was wrong. He did not want to push Aphrodite the wrong way – she was a strong woman, and he knew that once she was ready she would come to him, and if she did not, well… Either way, he would wait for her. He loved her, and he prayed to Zeus she would tell him what was wrong.

Or perhaps… _he_ was the problem. Perhaps he did something wrong that did not please her? Oh, if he did he would never forgive himself! If he did anything that had caused Aphrodite to become so distant, to resort to others for comfort…

He did not sleep that night, barely closing his eyes for a moment as the panic set in that perhaps he had done something to earn her mistrust. And so he spent hours, anxiety ridden, trying to figure out what had recently happened for this phenomenon to occur.

Aphrodite noticed this in the morning when instead of the kisses she was used to being woken up by were replaced with their bed being shaken. At first she thought it was an earthquake (though none had ever happened on Olympus) before she realized it was from Hephaestus's leg shaking out of… nervousness?

_His legs are so strong…_

Stretching languidly, Aphrodite placed her hand on Heph's arm to comfort him from his obvious distress. He stopped immediately, looking at her. She looked up into his dark eyes and saw fatigue lining them. She scrunched her brows in concern.

"Love, what is troubling you?" she gently asked, unsure of what was troubling him, but having a pretty good idea nonetheless.

He heavily sighed, unsure if he should ask her what he wanted to, but willing to take the risk anyway, "Have I done anything to… upset you? To lose your favour?"

"What? What has caused you to think so?"

"I feel as if you have been… avoiding me lately. Not that I mind you meeting with the other goddesses, far from it! But you rarely talk to me, and I am worried it is because of something that I've done…"

She saw the pain and worry in his eyes, and immediately felt guilt crawl up into her throat. She was worried that he would eventually notice because the last thing she wanted him to think was that she was avoiding him. Apparently she was not very good at hiding things, especially from him, because he saw right through it.

She blushed from embarrassment and guilt. _Well, there is no avoiding it now._

She moved closer to him, pressing herself against his side, and looked directly into his eyes, "Of course not! There is nothing you could ever do to offend me. I love you dearly, Heph, with all my heart, there is just something…"

_How will he take it?_

"What is it, love? Please tell me. You know you can tell me anything."

"It is just… something has happened to me and I have been seeking council from the other goddesses on what to do about it…"

He stiffened before pulling her into a hug, laying her on his chest so she had to look down at him, him looking up at her with his arms firmly around her and her straddling his hips.

He looked even more worried than before, his face strained, and she felt lucky to have such a god as her husband but also even guiltier because obviously he was just more worried than before.

"What has happened? Do you feel ill?"

"Yes but… not like that."

His brows furrowed in confusion, and he continued to question her, "Then in what way?"

She was getting more and more nervous the more concerned he grew and the more he questioned her. She obviously could not squirm out of this situation and she could not lie to him. She would never lie to him, no matter what the situation.

"Well because I'm… I am with child Hephaestus," he froze underneath her, and suddenly her worst fears were coming true, "I began feeling sick and so I have been seeking council with the goddesses about carrying a child, how to care for it when it is here… I mean, I know Persephone and Hestia don't have children but they are wonderful for support…" She was rambling, trying to explain to him, but it was no use. He was probably going to-

"My child?" He suddenly asked, and Aphrodite immediately felt anger and indignation run through her. She sharply looked him in the eyes.

"Of course! Who else's would it be? I am a faithful wife to you, Heph," and now she wanted to cry at the thought of him accusing her of being unfaithful, but before the tears could flow he wrapped his arms strongly around her, peppering the top of her head with kisses and smoothing her back with his fingertips.

She shivered at his touch, "I would _never_ accuse you of being unfaithful. I know you much, much better than that. I am just surprised! So _so_ surprised…" He buried his nose into her hair, and she felt something wet falling down into her hair.

She looked to her husband's face to see tears streaming down it. She tensed in his arms, feeling tears well up in her own eyes.

"I'm sorry…"

He sobered considerably, looking to her again with that adorably confused face, "What for?" He smiled, understanding, chuckling deep in his chest, "These are tears of joy, love! I'm so incredibly happy! The goddess I love, carrying my child? And here I was worried that I had lost your favour…"

He continued laughing and crying, and Aphrodite felt all of the tension she had been carrying for too long disappear instantly. She in turn let her tears fall, out of relief and joy, and she joined the god she loved in laughter.

"I'm so sorry for avoiding you and not telling you, I was so nervous of what you would do…"

She couldn't finish her thought, however, because all coherency was immediately lost the moment Hephaestus flipped them over to lay on top of her, and his lips found her skin…


	9. Chapter 9

Despite the preparations, the warnings, and the encouragement that Aphrodite had received, pregnancy was nothing like she expected. First came the morning sickness, which actually came at any time of day. She did not appreciate its unexpectedness – especially when she was in the middle of a Council meeting with Hephaestus and had to run out before ruining the entire Council's day with her ailment.

But Hephaestus was always there to make sure she felt fine afterwards, carrying her back to bed once she was spent and tired from throwing up the entire contents of her stomach.

Then came the pains which were _everywhere,_ covering her body in soreness when she woke up to when she returned to bed. Her lower back felt like it had pins sticking into it at all times, spasms popping up every so often to make her cry out in pain.

And Hephaestus was always there again, with warming oils and creams he massaged into her skin relieving her of the pain, even if only for a few hours. She kissed him profusely every time he did, hoping in some way to repay him for everything that he did for her while she slowly became swollen with their child.

And he would always reply, "I should be the one thanking you, love, you're the one carrying a miracle," at which he would he smooth his hand over her firm lower abdomen, waiting for the day that he would feel a small kick under his palm.

In return she would smile at him, simply stating, "I think I'm the lucky one here, to be having your child."

A gentle smile, a kiss on the lips, a quick inspection to make sure she was comfortable on their bed, and he would be off to the forge for the day, working on the furniture they would need in preparation of their newest family member.

Every evening, he would return with the newest created piece – be it the crib or simply a new toy he hoped their child would enjoy, and each would earn him a hug from his wife (which was getting increasingly difficult with her growing womb) and an excited response of how beautiful it was, and where they would put it in their child's room. He would then be dragged to said room, moving each piece around he had created and subsequently brought home until Aphrodite was either satisfied or tired - vowing to finish her job the next evening when he again would return to her side.

On one evening, when her sickness had finally passed and her stomach was forcing her to waddle more than actually walk, Aphrodite shook Hephaestus awake. He looked up to see his wife's face, and in the darkness of the night he could not tell if she was terribly stricken or excited by something. The way she was calling him to wake up, strained and hoarse, made him think it was more the former. He sat up, suddenly wide awake, and he held his love's face in his palms. He felt the tears running down her face, and he immediately questioned her about what had happened, imagining the worse.

Instead of the horrible response he was prepared to receive, she instead started laughing, a watery thing, before taking one of his hands in her own, kissing his palm, and placing it in on her now swollen stomach. She placed her hand on top of his, waiting for him to feel it.

And then he did.

A small, little kick.

He looked up at Aphrodite, letting out the breath he was holding, sounding somewhere between a sigh and a single laugh. She smiled at him, bright and brilliant, and he pulled her as close to him as he could, keeping their hands linked together over the spot where their child made his or her first entrance into the world.


	10. Chapter 10

Hephaestus paced the length of the bed for what Aphrodite counted as the hundred-millionth time before he hesitantly asked, "But… what if they don't like me? What if I'm not a good father?"

He paused to look over at Aphrodite, who was squirming at the head of their bed, trying to find a comfortable position between her consistent pains and her very large stomach. She huffed, giving up and deciding to just lie flat on her back, unable to look at Hephaestus but at least putting less pressure on her abdomen.

"I've told you a hundred million times, you're going to be a great father! You worrying about it so much already shows that much," She called to him, unsure of whether he was still pacing or not.

She heard him give his sigh of ' _thank goodness, I guess I was worrying over nothing_ ' before he came into her line of sight, sitting beside her on the bed and massaging her stomach with the flat of his palm, hoping to alleviate some of the pain that she was feeling before he would have to call upon Hera.

She groaned and shut her eyes tight as another sharp wave of pain ran through her, causing her to reach for her husband's free hand and squeeze it which made him also groan in pain.

"You're much stronger than you let the other gods believe, you know."

"Only in special circumstances," She was able to respond, but it was more of a whimper than the funny quip she wanted.

Hephaestus leaned forward and kissed her gently on her forehead, "Let me call Hera, love."

"Yes please."

He made to go into the hall and call Hestia, who was staying with the new couple in case they needed assistance over the next few days, but his wife's incredibly weak grip on his arm made him pause for a moment. He looked back at his love, and her face had turned from pain-induced to fearful and fatigued, much paler than he would ever like to see it.

"Please don't leave," she cried, and he immediately retook his post, cupping her face and calling for Hestia from the hall instead.

She entered, and upon seeing Hephaestus's own fear-filled expression turned pointedly in her direction, she went to get Hera who would bring his son or daughter into the world.

When Hephaestus again turned to his wife, he made sure that none of the fear making his stomach tie itself together into knots was shown, and only pure determination was left for her to see. He was surprised to see Aphrodite smiling up at him, looking as peaceful as he had ever seen, yet there was excitement flirting within the depths of her eyes.

"I'm going to have your _baby_!" She half laughed and half cried, and Hephaestus grinned from ear to ear, the anxiety in his stomach reaching an all new height as the woman he would always love the most prepared to bring his own flesh and blood to Olympus.


	11. Chapter 11

Hera looked upon the new parents before her, Aphrodite fatigued from her exertions and Hephaestus looking nervous and excited and gripping his wife's hand tightly. He looked towards her in anticipation, and she felt an elation in her stomach as she did with every birth, but also an ache in her heart that seemed to happen every time she saw a devoted husband dote upon his wife and child.

"It's a boy!" she exclaimed, smiling widely and carefully handing off the babbling child swaddled in the finest silks and cottons to his father, who looked on in awe and wonder at the tiny mass he cradled in his massive arms.

He looked to Aphrodite, who was sitting up to also look at their little bundle of joy and smiling as bright as Helios's sunrise at her husband, tears threatening to spill over.

"It's a boy," he whispered in turn to his love as he stroked the newborn's cheek, and then crown, admiring the little tuft of blonde hair that graced his head, "he's so beautiful, just like his mother."

Aphrodite chuckled weakly, still recovering, "And very handsome, just like his father." She reached up to kiss Hephaestus's distorted cheek, and a few tears fell from his eyes as well, falling upon the arms of their new son. Their baby started to cry, in earnest, from the irritation on his skin, and Hephaestus quickly and deeply kissed his lovely wife before handing their newborn son off to her so he could feed off of her breast.

Quickly showering her blessings upon her son and his wife, Hera left the new couple to their peace and to inform Hestia of the news, her job done, and her heart hurting a little more at the sight of the lovely couple, almost guiltily.

Aphrodite smiled down at her son, watching his tiny movements as he tried to find his own comfortable position in her arms, before settling down and closing his dark eyes in sleep.

"He's perfect," She whispered, never feeling quite so complete before this moment, with Hephaestus surrounding her in his embrace and her son cuddled up in her arms.

"I love him already," Hephaestus whispered into her hair, kissing the crown of her head before settling into bed beside her.

Aphrodite felt her eyes flutter shut for a moment, Hypnos and his sleep threatening to take over her exhausted form as it had with her little baby.

She yawned, but she wanted a few more moments awake with her new family, "I never want to let him go…"

She felt Heph chuckle, his chest beneath her own, and it felt almost like a purr.

"What shall we name him?"

She smiled up at him, eyes knowing, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Eros, of course."

She saw Heph contentedly smile back at her, "Yes, of course…"


	12. Chapter 12

Over the years Eros grew to be a fine young god, though also known for his mischievous pranks (which only made his parents love him all the more). Aphrodite cared for him while Hephaestus helped him grow, and all too soon he had left to find his own spot in Olympus, choosing an estate far above the clouds to call his own, where he could flap his wings and fly to his content.

He was still a child when his wings had sprouted and Hephaestus gifted him with a bow of the finest deep oak, adorned in gold and blessed with the love of the goddess herself. All too soon, his parents had learned about his gift of archery and matchmaking, and all too soon many of their nights were spent wrapped up in bed after Eros was sleeping, giggling over the pairs he made the very same day between mortals and gods alike.

Although his wings were odd at first, neither Aphrodite nor Heph really expecting them, they soon learned to expect their son to fly in rather than walk into their room in the early morning, asking his mother to play and his father if he could go with him to work on Athena's new spear.

"He's perfect," Hephaestus whispered to her one morning after their son had flown down the hall to find his bow once more.

Aphrodite cuddled into Heph's side, wanting to share his heat a moment longer. "Just like his father."

Finally, years and centuries passed, Eros maturing and using his bow to bring together those with a simmering love, helping bring it to an inferno of passion, though the gods still questioned if his more outrageous matches were simply the 'accidents' he claimed them to be.

He visited his parents often, finding comfort and love in their arms where other gods or goddesses saw a monster - despite being the god of love, love never seemed to find him thanks to the protrusions from his back. And so he waited, hoping one day to find love just as his parents had.

He was visiting them once, in one of the many gardens Hephaestus had made for his lovely wife, and Eros watched from a distance as his father bent down slowly due to his leg, picked a bouquet of roses, and brought it over to his love who smiled as brightly as the sun and quickly kissed Hephaestus on the lips in thanks, before running into their home to find a vase to put the lovely flowers in.

Eros glided over to his father, "May I ask you... a question?" He asked, uncertain if now was the proper time to ask.

Heph smiled warmly, "Of course, you may always ask me whatever you please," he motioned for them to walk together through the garden, "What is it, son?"

Eros looked around him, taking in his father's amazing handiwork, "Well, I was just wondering... if I will ever find someone like you found mother? It just seems like all of the goddesses are quite... appalled by my wings, so..." He trailed off, unsure how to explain to him what he was feeling.

Hephaestus stopped walking, leaning against a nearby tree for support, and looked at his son. He had become a fine young god - strong, handsome, golden locks like his mother and eyes a deep brown, a shade lighter than his own.

Eros fidgeted around a bit until finally, he spoke, "What do you see when you look at me, son?"

Eros's brows furrowed in confusment. "What do you mean?"

"When you look at me, what do you see? I am a crippled man, with a seemingly burned face and a lame leg. Is that what you see when you look at me?"

"No! I see my father, a kind and gentle and strong man!"

Hephaestus smiled warmly at his son, "That is what your mother saw too. And I was lucky enough to fall in love with the most beautiful goddess on Olympus - the whole world, actually. That's what I'm trying to tell you, you will find a goddess that loves you dearly for you, one day. Even if it might take a couple centuries, she will be worth it." Heph chuckled lightly, and Eros smiled at his father.

"Thank you, father. I think I shall retire and... think about your words."

Heph nodded his approval, watching his son fly away into the clouds above Olympus and leaning against the tree a moment longer before walking back to his home, where Aphrodite was waiting for him with an adorable smile on her face.

When he made it over to her, she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his collarbone.

"Eros has went off to find himself," Hephaestus whispered into her hair, and she looked up at him, her blue eyes burning brightly.

"I know, I heard everything you said."

He kissed her gently on the lips, "And everything is true."

She began pulling him to the house with her, his body covering hers in a embrace that told her _I will never let you go._

I love you so much," she whispered into his neck as he picked her up to carry her back to their bed chambers.

He kissed her neck, his breath hot against her skin as he smiled, bright and happy and carefree, "I love you."

And after all these years, these centuries together, Aphrodite was amazed that all it took was Hephaestus to realize she was not so broken, after all.


End file.
